


An Arrow Through Your Heart Saying "I Love You"

by one_day_sooner



Series: Love tattoo [5]
Category: Band AU - Fandom, Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-17
Updated: 2012-08-17
Packaged: 2017-11-12 07:59:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/488539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/one_day_sooner/pseuds/one_day_sooner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Johnny and Patrick come to a decision and there is a minor flash of drunken!Cartsy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Arrow Through Your Heart Saying "I Love You"

**Author's Note:**

> Again, Unbeta'd so all mistakes are all me, baby.
> 
> Also: I had to work in one of the nastiest western conference rivalries somehow.

Patrick had to admit there was something oddly relaxing about just laying out on Johnny's couch, watching the Kings playing the Sharks for the Western Conference and another shot at the Cup. It was a decidedly nasty game 6, the Sharks holding nothing back and the Kings letting their biggest wingers out to grind them down. Johnny winced when Mike roughly checked Joe Thornton after a particularly bad hit sent Mitchie into the glass hard. 

"What the fuck is he doing?! He's gonna get his dumb ass killed!" Johnny yelled at the TV, yelping a little when Clowe's stick found Cartsy's neck when he tried to stop Thornton from attempting to beat Mike to death on the ice. 

"Jesus. These guys make the Flyers and Pens look like a bunch of kids playing no touch pond hockey," Patrick agreed, his jaw dropping when the normally relaxed Doughty took a swing at Coture for getting him in a headlock, and the refs spent another five minutes sorting them out. At the end of it all there were almost more men in the boxes still jawing at each other than actually on the bench, and somehow the Sharks ended up with a man advantage. 

"They're awesome on the PK and Richards only has two. Twenty bucks and dinner says he gets a shortie straight out of the box."

"That's not fair. You know the bastard leads the league in short handed goals AGAIN this season," Patrick whined but agreed with a kiss. "Wait, why are we watching this instead of making out?"

"Because I promised Mike we'd watch."

"Yeah I'd like to watch all right. Could you imagine that one? Tall built blonde being completely dominated by a tiny, feisty brunette. I'd be into it." 

"Why am I in love with you, again?"

"Because I make you happy. Duh."

"Oh. Right. Hey, about that..."

"Shut up!  Richie's coming outta the box now!"

Patrick chewed his lip while he watched the game, Richards picking up a neat pass from one of his defensemen and burying it behind Greiss, his whoop loud even over the blaring goal horn and ecstatic crowd in LA. He reached into his pocket and handed Johnny his wallet, shaking his head and staring at the TV again.

Johnny dug around for a twenty and set the wallet down, picking up his phone to order takeout from the Chinese food joint down the block when Patrick punched him lightly on the shoulder and scanned back a few frames on the DVR. "Jon. Johnny. Look. Do they... Do they do what I think I saw them do?"

Johnny set his phone down and watched Mike score, then immediately skate up to Jeff and leap into his arms, their mouths brushing soft and fast, so quick that no one who didn't know what they meant to each other would notice, out on the ice before they were joined by cheering teammates who happily clambered on them. 

"Holy shit," Johnny whispered, his eyes wide and hand reaching for Patrick's instinctively. "Holy shit Pat they did."

After the win and another Conference title, a giggly Carter called Pat and Jon from Mike's phone, a little drunk and very excited. He rambled on about the sheer joy of going to the Finals again, with Richie again, and declaring they had it in them to take out Florida. Or Washington. You know, whoever. 

"Yeah, Carts. But what about that kiss on the ice, man?" Pat asked, raising his eyebrows at Johnny. 

"That was great, right? Not even close to the gayest thing we've done as a team, though, man. Dewey had a thing for grabbing other guys' junk for about a year and oh hey, Lewie! Save me a beer will ya? Hey I gotta go man. Thanks for watching! We love ya! Whoooooo! We're going to the 'Ship!"

Johnny poked at his orange chicken and frowned slightly. "Anyone could have called them on it, Pat, and he'd probably have reacted the same way. Like they aren't a big deal. Like they aren't everything to each other. I don't like that idea at all."

"Johnny. In this line of work it happens like that sometimes. You get so used to having your guard up that you don't even think about it. You asked me to keep us on the down low so I do. Never mention my partner's name or sex and just let people guess what starlet I'm banging now when I come home to you every night. I'd tell the world if I could, but I love you too much to do that to you.  We both know Carts and Richie are it for the other, anyway. They'll be shitty old men on a rickety ass deck and they're gonna be holding hands between naps."

"Romantic," Johnny teased, rolling his eyes. 

"Hey you know me. I bleed romance, okay?"

"Oh so that was what you spit out when you got hit with Johnson's stick during that game in Columbus."

"Yeah  he did say sorry about that after the game though. Real nice guy. Good teammate on the national team. With the Jackets I have to worry about him leveling me." 

Johnny grinned and kissed Patrick soundly, his own mind spinning until he was dragged off to bed with Patrick's laugh and kisses leading the way. 

******

"How is it seven already?" Johnny whined into the pillow, hating that he had to get up and leave his perfect bed and his snuffling Patrick. 

"Usually that's the number that comes an hour after six. You wanna go get breakfast before I take you to work, baby?"

"As long as there's coffee. And a lot of it. And I drive." Johnny complained, getting out of bed and heading off to take a fast shower before they left. 

Patrick grinned at the ceiling and got up to get dressed while he waited. 

Breakfast was spent with their usual joking and laughing, Patrick tangling their feet under the table and Johnny stealing his food with a grin and a little calm contentment. His hair was slicked back and his plain white shirt was clean for now, waiting for the grease and oil of the day's work to soil it. 

"Hey so. I was sorta wondering....  Do you wanna go to Buffalo with me this summer for my vacation? You can come back to Chicago any time you want but my mom wants to make sure you're eating right and all." Patrick looked up at Johnny and smiled at the fond look on his face. When they won the Cup last year, Patrick's whole family met Johnny and decided unanimously that he was amazingly good for their boy. 

"I talk to your mom almost as much as I talk to mine. She knows what's going on, but... I'm not going to Buffalo, Patrick.  I already have a flight back to visit before David goes off to training camp. He was signed by the Jets' feeder team." 

"Wait the Winnipeg Jets?  As in I could be playing him in a few seasons?"

"If all goes well, yeah. I want to be there for him for this. It's huge. I'm sure you remember what it was like. But I'll try to stop by Buffalo on my way back here. I really do wanna see your family. They're awesome."

"Of course. They're my family." Patrick replied with a slightly forced grin, snagging the check and getting up to pay it. "Tell him I'm proud of him. And if we do meet up, I won't take it easy on him because I love you."

"Please. I wouldn't expect you to."

Johnny finished his coffee and went over to stand next to Patrick while he paid. The pair stepped into the early Chicago sun and slipped on their sunglasses, Johnny's hand wrapping around Patrick's without a second thought to who saw. Pat looked down at their linked hands and back at Johnny's face, catching a shy smirk. 

"It's about time I hold my boyfriend's hand somewhere that isn't a dimly lit bar," Johnny shrugged, "Thought I'd show him off a little. Tell the world I'm his."

Patrick stopped, pulling Jon back and into his arms as he did. "Wait. Johnny are you sure you wanna do this?"

"As sure as I was the night I met you that I'd fall for ya."

Johnny ended up late for work, but neither he nor Patrick spent much time caring about that.  

******

"In a move that shocked the hockey community, Patrick Kane announced today that he was gay and in a long term, committed relationship. 

'Knowing I have him in my life is amazing. He's the only one who really makes me feel like I'll have a life after I retire, yanno? He's great. Doesn't take any of my [expletive] and helps me be better as a person and a player. I love him.' Kane told reporters at the Blackhawks Convention. 

When asked about the relationship, Kane's teammates were supportive and happy for the young star. 

'He got Kaner to be really, truly happy on and off the ice. For a guy who's like a brother to me, any of these guys are, yanno? But for them to be happy and taken care of is all I want. They're family. All that matters is that they're in good hands and Kaner hasn't been in better hands since he left home.' Captain Patrick Sharp said, heaping praises on the young man of Kane's interest before reminding everyone in earshot that they were here to talk about hockey."

"PLAYING GAY

With one major NHL star coming out of the closet this week, sports fans everywhere have begun asking themselves what other athletes may be hiding something. Patrick Kane's recent revelation and new association with the You Can Play project has many scratching their heads and many more applauding his decision to come out. 

Who's next? Crosby and Malkin? Giroux and Briere? Whoever it is, the NHL and its fans are certainly ready for them, supporting and loving them as always. More information on the You Can Play project below the jump."

"Hey y'all. Just wanted to give it to ya first and from me: I'm gay. I've got a great guy who loves me, and good friends who support us. You, our fans, are a part of us, our family, and I wanted to share my happiness with all y'all. I don't expect everyone to accept it, and if you don't, that's all right. The band is standing by me and I'd do the same for them in a second. We're heading into the studio in a week or so to start up a new album for ya to have in your hands soon. Thanks for this, everyone. 

Johnny"

******

After Patrick's announcement, pictures of him and Johnny together flooded Deadspin, ESPN, the NHL website and countless cell phones as backgrounds and key guards. Johnny made it to every game he could, and Patrick snuck off to see the band play as much as possible. They fought over the right way to load the dishwasher and whether or not they could paint the living room Buffalo Sabres blue (Patrick loved the idea. Johnny not so much), and crawled into bed with each other every night they were able to, falling asleep to each others breathing on the phone nights they couldn't. Patrick still traced Johnny's ink, sometimes licking over bright colors and pretending they had flavors other than Jon's skin. Jonathan still hated waking up early but did just to make Patrick his first cup of coffee and sometimes breakfast. And if one morning over coffee and scrambled eggs, Patrick's phone buzzed with a picture of Cartsy on one knee and Mike looking shocked and happy with their second Stanley Cup in the background, well. That was just a bonus.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Love Tattoo" by Imelda May. 
> 
> Thanks for getting through all this! You're rad. :)


End file.
